United Kingdom to Block Porn Websites Starting in April
The United Kingdom will begin blocking pornography websites in April and requiring age identification by adults who want to access them – an action that supporters say will protect children across the country.
Websites that refuse to comply could face fines up to £250,000 or be banned altogether from the country, the Manchester Evening News reported.
The law requires viewers of pornography either to enter their credit card information or prove they are 18 and over by using a website such as AgeID, which confirms a user’s age.
Still, the system won’t be foolproof.
“It may make it harder for children to stumble across pornography, especially in the younger age range, but it will do nothing to stop determined teenagers,” Victoria Nash of the Oxford Internet Institute told the newspaper.
Others are concerned about privacy.
“You’re requiring people to effectively announce the fact they are looking at this material to the credit card authorities,” the Oxford Internet Institute’s Joss Wright told the newspaper. “And there’s serious security issues from requiring people to enter their credit card details into untrusted sites.”
Margot James, the minister for digital and creative industries within the government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, told Parliament last year that it has “taken longer than I would have liked” to…
Open Heaven 7 March 2019 Thursday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Paid in Full
Topic: Paid in Full (Open Heaven 7 March 2019)
Memorise: “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”- John 19:30
Read: Matthew 26:26-30 (KJV)
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Bible in One Year: Romans 1-3, Isaiah 56
Open Heaven 7 March 2019 Thursday MESSAGE:
It is amazing to know that when the call was made in heaven for a Savior to redeem mankind from sin and death, Jesus willingly submitted Himself to go and pay the price for our salvation; it is such a touching experience when we consider what transpired in heaven as Christ presented Himself before the Father as willing and worthy to fulfill the righteous requirements of God’s judgment with regard to sin. The Holy Spirit reveals this to us, saying in Hebrews 10:5-7:
“5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”
In His own words Jesus said in John 10:17-18:
“17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
To pay the price for our redemption, our Lord was sorely beaten, rejected, mocked and above all, nailed to the cross between two terrible criminals. This all happened to Him to fulfill what was written concerning Him. While hanging on the cross, He requested for water to drink but was offered vinegar instead, thereby fulfilling David’s prophecy about Him in Psalm 69:21, which says:
“They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
When all the righteous requirements of God for the salvation of mankind were completely fulfilled, He declared to heaven and earth, “It is finished” after which He willingly let go of His life. Beloved why look elsewhere for salvation when it has been fully paid for at Calvary? There is no salvation in no one else but Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). Do you need salvation in any area of your life? I announce to you today that it is available in Jesus Christ. If you have already received His salvation, are you enjoying its full benefits? All you need to do to access salvation and its benefits is to turn to the One who paid your debt of sin on your behalf. Confess your sins to Him and appropriate the ransom which was offered for your sake and you will become guiltless and free.
Open Heaven 7 March 2019 Thursday Action Point:
Take out time to appreciate Jesus for all He did to pay the full price for your redemption, and lay claim to every benefit that His salvation gives.
Open Heaven 7 March 2019 Thursday Hymn 9: In Christ Alone
1.In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
2.In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.
3.There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
4.No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.
Open Heaven 7 March 2019 Thursday Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven 7 March 2019 Thursday Daily Devotional.
Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.
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Billy Kennedy – who alongside his wife Caroline has led the UK based network of new churches since 2009, will take on the role of Pioneer International Leader, while Ness Wilson take on his former role.
The leadership changes were announced over the weekend at the Pioneer Network’s annual leaders’ conference in Manchester.
Partnerships in other nations have led to the formation of Pioneer churches networks in Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Kenya, Europe and the USA.
“This is an exciting development for Pioneer as we respond to the opportunities that God is opening up for us internationally,” Billy Kennedy said in a statement.
“Ness is a proven apostolic leader who has been used by God to build a great church in Loughborough and is widely recognised for her leadership, strategic thinking and teaching gifts.”
“Push me DEEP”
What an incredible time we had together at #ALC19 as we dug deep together sharing and receiving wisdom and insight from many. Excited as we step forward into the next chapter with @NessWilson as leader of Pioneer UK and Billy Kennedy leading Pioneer International pic.twitter.com/d9aGTRvqzf
‘Moral Cowardice’? Biden Says Pence not a ‘Decent Guy’ After All
Former Vice President Joe Biden had to apologize recently after calling current Vice President Mike Pence a “decent guy,” and that’s not sitting well with conservative commentators.
The controversy began when Biden was speaking about foreign policy last month and the international community’s reaction to an earlier speech by Pence.
Biden called Pence a “decent guy” who “stood before this group of allies and leaders and said, ‘I’m here on behalf of President Trump,’ and there was dead silence. Dead silence,” CNN reported.
The comment about Pence wasn’t the focus of Biden’s speech, but it nevertheless became the source of criticism from some of the Left. Actor Cynthia Nixon, a lesbian, tweeted to Biden, “You’ve just called America’s most anti-LGBT elected leader ‘a decent guy.’ Please consider how this falls on the ears of our community.”
Another actress, Nancy Lee Grahan, wrote on Twitter, “Perhaps someone should inform Joe of the new rules. We no longer engage in BS political niceties like a lounge lizard. We tell the straight truth which can still be done respectfully.”
Biden soon responded and retracted his earlier comment.
“You’re right, Cynthia,” Biden wrote. “I was making a point in a foreign policy context, that under normal circumstances a Vice President wouldn’t be given a silent reaction…
A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) criminalises any form of interaction with people going into the BPAS abortion clinic on Rosslyn Road in Twickenham, Surrey.
The ban, which would affect the pro-life group the Good Counsel Network, also includes “protests that affect residents in Rosslyn Road Twickenham and surrounding roads”.
It has been implemented by Richmond Council following a meeting on Tuesday.
The PSPO was approved by the council’s Regulatory Committee on 6th February, but required the ratification of the full council.
Activities which are now banned include protesting or engaging in any act of approval or disapproval to abortion services, such as graphic, verbal or written means and any form of counselling or interaction with residents or their visitors.
The Good Counsel Network argue that they never use images of aborted babies and were there to offer alternative advice to that offered by BPAS.
Intimidating or harassing a BPAS client or a member of staff is forbidden, as is recording or photographing a patient or staff member of the clinic or displaying any text or images relating to the termination of pregnancy.
If found in breach of these rules, a member of a pro-life group could be fined £80, reduced to £50 if paid within ten days.
The pro-life group Be Here For Me said Richmond Council could not substantiate the serious allegations made against…
Christian Baker Wins Again as State Drops Transgender Cake Case
A Christian baker who won a major religious freedom case last year at the Supreme Court claimed victory again Tuesday when the Colorado Civil Rights Commission announced it was voluntarily withdrawing a suit for his failure to bake a cake celebrating transgenderism.
Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, had won a landmark ruling against the commission at the Supreme Court in 2018 when, weeks later, the commission opened an additional case against him.
In the second case, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission claimed Phillips violated the state’s anti-discrimination law when he refused to bake a cake celebrating Autumn Scardina’s transition from male to female. Scardina wanted the cake to be blue on the outside and pink on the inside, but Phillips declined to make it due to his deeply held Christian beliefs.
Colorado’s attorney general announced Tuesday the commission reached an agreement with Phillips to voluntarily dismiss the case. For his part, Phillips and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) agreed to voluntarily dismiss their federal lawsuit against the state. In January, a federal judge refused Colorado’s request to dismiss ADF’s suit.
“After careful consideration of the facts, both sides agreed it was not in anyone’s best interest to move forward with these cases,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat.
A series of drug-related incidents led clergy at St Anthony’s RC Church in Vauxhall, Liverpool to change its open all day policy.
Staff reported witnessing two men fighting over a laptop after bursting into the church moments before a service was about to start.
On another occasion, a man was discovered passed out in a confessional box, with a needle hanging from his arm, the Liverpool Echo reported.
Church administrator Emma Kearns Price told the news website: “We’ve had the problem on and off – the police move them from one area, and they move on to the next one, so it dies down.
“The problem is when they get moved on again, they come back – so we’re just going around in circles.
“Up until September last year we’d had no problems for two years, but now it’s started all over again.”
The church has been serving the local community for more than 200 years, having been founded as a parish in 1804, and opened to worshippers in 1833.
It will now only be open during services or by special request.
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Dean Resigns after Rider University Administration Refuses to Apologize for Insulting Christian Values
The Dean of Rider University’s Business School announced her resignation last month following the University’s ban on Chick-fil-A due to its Biblical view on marriage.
As Christian Headlines previously reported, the New Jersey university banned the Christian fast-food chain from becoming a part of the University’s dining services in November because “their corporate values have not sufficiently progressed enough to align with those of Rider.”
For the dean of the College of Business, Cynthia Newman, this did not sit right.
According to CBN News, in her resignation letter, obtained by Campus Reform, Newman shared that after the initial decision was made in November she was not upset with the college’s decision not to pursue Chick-fil-A, but she was disappointed that in announcing that Chick-fil-A was out of the running, they condemned to corporation’s values – values that some Rider University faculty, staff and students adhere to in their own lives.
Newman – a Christian – said she did not “rant or rave or make a fuss” over the University’s pointed email, and instead “engaged in a few months’ worth of conversations with those in authority positions” that supersede hers.
Newman said, “I expressed how disappointed I was, not that the decision had been made to not have Chick-fil-A on campus (making…
The head of The Crusader was taken from a crypt in St Michan’s Church last month.
The crime was discovered when a guide went to open the church for visitors.
The vault was badly damaged and several of the mummies, including the 400-year-old remains of a nun, had been desecrated.
The Crusader’s body was turned over and his head removed.
Officers from Bridewell garda station said they recovered the head of The Crusader on Tuesday and another skull that had been taken over the weekend of February 24.
A garda spokesman said: “The items were recovered as a result of information that came into the possession of the investigating gardai.
“The National Museum of Ireland are acting in an advisory capacity.
“An Garda Siochana would like to thank the public for their assistance in the investigation, which remains ongoing.”
Gardaí have recovered the head of “The Crusader” and another skull taken from a crypt in St. Michan’s church over the weekend of 23rd/25th February. We would like to thank the public for their help. The investigation in ongoing pic.twitter.com/CdfOJUQmQV
I love solid research. This new release is absolutely incredible.
I am grateful to Exponential for engaging LifeWay Research to discern current levels of church health according to a number of factors. While worship attendance trends over a three-year period were a primary indicator of health in this study, the Exponential research also included conversions, income, and staffing in the data.
In addition to the categorization of churches as declining/subtracting (Level 1), plateauing (Level 2), and growing/adding (Level 3), the study looked at two other supplemental categories. A Level 4 (reproducing) church places a high value and priority on starting new churches. A level 5 (multiplying) church takes church planting to multiple generations of congregations.
The accuracy of this research cannot be overstated. LifeWay Research phoned 1,000 Protestant pastors. Quotas were used to maintain the correct population of each church size. Responses were weighed by region to reflect more accurately the total U. S. population. The sample provides a 95% confidence that the sampling error does not exceed +/- 3.2%. This information from the statistical nerds assures us the study is very accurate.
Here are some of the fascinating findings:
70% of churches are subtracting/declining or plateauing. Only 30% are adding/growing. This data is largely consistent with other research we have done. The period covered is three years.
There are relatively few reproducing churches. The research categorized only 7% of the…
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